Japan’s four main islands and many smaller ones comprises an area of only 377, 819 sq. km. Yet its population is more than 126 million. Rich in history, Japan is a leader among Pacific Rim nations—and indeed the entire world. Among the nations of the world, it ranks eighth on the Human Development Index. Despite its recent economic woes, Japan remains one of the strongest economies in the world.

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Japan may be suffering from a nearly decade-long economic down-turn, and running a huge budget deficit in an effort to stimulate its own economy, but it is spending freely in another significant area—foreign aid.

In fact, Japan—already the world’s largest donor of aid—is giving more money than ever, in hopes, analysts say, of bolstering its international clout.

Each year Japan has given 10.5 billion in foreign aid. This money has gone to projects like

Ships from Middle East that could bring oil to Japan.

Harbors in Indonesia.

Roads in the Philippines and Malaysia.

Bridges in Thailand.

Power projects in India.

Some of these projects were self-serving. But increasingly projects are being screened by criteria such as the democratization of the country and stabilization of the economy. And the amount of aid stands to increase some 14%. Japan can afford to engage in such largesse, not only because it is an economic power, but because it is a demilitarized country. It is following the example of Western countries in gaining international influence through foreign aid.

A development aid specialist at Hiroshima University, Shunji Matsuoka, explains:

Japan has lost confidence in its economic power, and doesn’t really have a clear image of the future, so overseas aid makes us feel like we can play a large role in the world. It’s almost psychological.

Japan’s putting forward a candidate for head of the International Monetary Fund this year would be an example of its seeking such world leadership. Especially in Asia, Japan is seeking to dispel any unfavorable images left over from its aggression in WWII. In Vietnam for example, Japan is providing, not only money, but lawyers to help in the stabilization of the country’s economic structure.

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION AND DISCUSSION

Did you know of Japan’s generosity to other countries before reading this article? Why is so little known about this, do you think?

What role of regional and world leadership should Japan fill?

What responsibilities do rich individuals have in contributing to the poor? What responsibilities do rich nations have in sharing with poorer ones? To what extent should self-interest guide such contributions?

Should trouble break out between China and Taiwan, how should Japan, India, the U.S. and the U.N. respond?

IMPLICATIONS

Bad news, even among nations, seems to overshadow good news. World citizens should know a great deal more about benevolence among nations.

Many people in the world have stereotypes about Japan and the Japanese people that should be overcome.

There are increasing opportunities in the world to do good, and many young people today want to get in on chances to help others.

(LCMS) LCMS World Mission began work in Kazakhstan in 1993. In a few short years, a church body formed called the Evangelical Lutheran Center (ELC). It now has six congregations and operates the People of God Evangelical Lutheran Seminary, training men as pastors or deacons.

Many things can (and will) be said about last night's historic election. Regardless if you felt it was an exciting victory or a crushing defeat, there is one thing we should all be able to agree on: our country has entered a multi-ethnic era. The election of our first African American president (who's biracial background embodies multi-ethnicity) is a powerful sign of how rapidly our society has changed and will change in the decades to come. The question on my mind..."Is the church ready?"

’s Communist leadership, in a self-declared “people’s war against electronic pornography,” have issued a ban on Internet nudity, phone-based erotica, and racy text messages. Pornography, says Industry Minister Wang Xudong, “depraves social morals and especially brings great harm to the country’s young minds.”

But enforcing the ban will not be easy, notes Cody. Recent years have seen a shift toward more sexually-explicit content in novels, on the airwaves, on the Internet, and prostitution (banned in 1949) has made a comeback. The fascination with electronics has gone hand in hand with the shift in attitude. One-thousand pornographic Internet sites are now estimated to be operating in China. Forty percent of service-provider income is said to come from people visiting porn sites.

Even still, the government is serious. Since announcing the ban two months ago, police have shut down about 700 pornographic web sites and arrested 329 people involved in their operation. Moreover, 16,000 internet cafes have been shut down for making pornography available to patrons.

The combination of an anti-vice campaign with strict information monitoring is nothing new in China, where censorship remains a practice. But with more than 80 million Internet users, policing this latest ban will be a challenge. Chinese leadership understands the importance of the Internet as a tool for economic growth, but are unabashed in efforts to control its influence.

One motivating concern is the influence Internet and cell-phone pornography has had on the country’s youth population. Youths are spending their parent’s money on phone-sex calls. Girls have been lured into work as nightclub “hostesses,” and students on summer vacation have wasted away their time by turning to the Internet for entertainment.

The aggressive ban is thus prompted by a mix of moral and practical concerns. Its measures combine apparent appeals to moral virtue with the unquestioned force of Communist leadership to require this virtue.

Questions for Reflection and Discussion:

1.Why is pornography a concern for China

’s communist regime?

2.Does it seem strange that a communist country would take such a principled stand while in America

internet porn is a flourishing industry?

3.Why is pornography such an easy form of addiction?

4.Is the Chinese ban fair? Will it be successful?

Implications:

Whether or not the motivations are sound, the fact that the communist government of China

has taken a principled stand against pornography suggests that one can be concerned about pornography without having to cite a traditional moral position. And yet, in American culture it remains unclear whether the dangers of pornography are self-evident.